University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections and Archives

The Butterick reasearch materials encompass company histories, history of clothing styles,patterns and pull steets, newsletters
and publications of the company.In addtion a large number of promotional materials which include original hand colored art
work are in the collection. Dates covered are late 19th and late 20th century.

In 1863 tailor, Ebenezer Butterick, and his seamstress wife, Ellen, established the Butterick Company, the oldest recognized
commercial clothing paper pattern company in the U.S. in Sterling, Massachusetts. Butterick was the innovator of standard
sizing for paper patterns for clothing. Initially the patterns were cut and sold for children's and men's clothing and then
expanded to women's garments in 1866. Unlike his competiors, Butterick took out patents on the process. The company was moved
to Fitchburg, MA and then to New York City by 1867.
Aimed at the home sewer rather than the commercial dressmaker, the patterns quickly became popular.To promote the fashions,
Butterick published the Ladies Quarterly Report of Broadway Fashions and Metropolitan in 1869. The latter evolved into The Delineator.
Butterick began a partnership with Jones Warren Wilder in 1867. Ellen died in 1871. When the company reorganized in 1881,
Butterick maintained a third interest in the company, Wilder and Butterick's brother in law, Abner Pollard, managed the com
any business. Wilder died in 1894 and the company was sold to Jones Wilder's son, George, around 1898. Butterick died in 1903.
The company continued with fluctuating success surviving the Depression and War years of the 1940s and the Post-War years
as the population boomed and moved to the suburbs.
In 1961 Butterick Co. licensed the name of Vogue from Conde Naste. Vogue patterns had begun in 1905 as a feature of the magazine of the same name. Butterick continued to
innovate its designs to attract a busier but still fashion conscious clientele. In 1974 Butterick introduced "See and Sew",
a less expensive line of patterns. Designer patterns in Vogue's "Americana" , "Paris Original" pattern series, later "Attitudes"
(1980s) and "Individualist" (1990s) promoted the designs of well established and up and coming designers. In 2007 by McCall
Pattern Company acquired the company. Each company, McCall, Butterick, and Vogue continues its own brand name.

A great majority of the materials in this collection are photocopies.Articles and patterns about or by Butterick or Vogue
as well as a few by McCall and generally about the history of clothing styles are prominent. Promotional materials, newsletters,
news clippings, poster art and pattern lists make up the bulk of the collection. Dates range from 1860s- 2004.

Terms governing use and reproduction:Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository
and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.

Contains articles, timelines, histories, both photocopies of and original publications about or by the Butterick, Vogue, and
McCall pattern companies. Also in this series are a number of articles on various aspects of sewing and fashion styles.

Box

Folder

Title

Date(s)

Contains newsletters and house organs of the American Can Company, Butterick, Conde Naste, and a mock up of a 1962 Vogue Sewing
Book.

Arrangement

Arranged in Alphabetical order by company name then title of publication.

Box

Folder

Title

Date(s)

8

128

Inside (American Can Company)

1981 Apr, 1982 Aug

129

IQ Newsletter (American Can Company)

1982 Apr

130

Holiday Safety Bulletin (American Can Company)

undated

131

Butterick Bulletin

1953 Dec - 1954 Dec

132

Butterick Bulletin

1955 Jan - 1955 Dec

133

Butterick Bulletin

1956 Jan -1956 Dec

134

Butterick Bulletin

1957 Jan - 1957 Dec

135

Butterick Bulletin

1958 Feb, Jun-Dec

136

The Butterick Pattern Press

1982 Apr-May, 1982 Sep-Oct, 1983 Jan-Feb

137

A Newsletter for Employees (Butterick)

1969 Jun-Nov

138

Knits Steal the Home Sew Show (Butterick)

1970 Oct

139

Topics-Butterick Fashion Marketing Company

1971-1973

140

Print Patter (Conde Nast)

1959 Spring , Jun-Jul, Nov

141

Vogue Sewing Book (mock-up)

9 Jul 1962

Series:

Promotional Material

Dates:

1962-1980

Extent:

3 oversize box(es) (3 linear feet)

Types of Materials:

Scope and Content Note

Contains news clippings, posters, press copy and advertisements in various magazines, promotional press packages for Butterick
and Vogue. Included in this series are a number of hand colored pen and ink advertising placards

Arrangement

Arranged in alphabetical by type of promtotion and/or title of the venue or type of advertisment.